Parents, students and community advocates gathered on the steps of Buffalo's City Hall Monday to applaud the Buffalo Public School District's plan to hire 30-additional physical education teachers for the upcoming school year.
Many parents have been advocating for changes for years because the District has not in full state compliance for physical education.
Jessica Bauer Walker, Chair of the District Parent Coordinating Council’s Health Committee, wanted to get the word out about the new positions and encourage those qualified to apply.
"So we are really putting the call out to make sure that the community knows that Buffalo Schools is hiring and we want to make sure qualified candidates are applying, and we are going to keep the pressure on to make sure these physical education are hired for the beginning of the year (school year)," said Bauer Walker.
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Right now, most students in Kindergarten through third grade only receive physical education classes about once every six days.
"Fourth through Sixth is also out of compliance," stated Bauer Walker. "We've even had complaints from seventh through twelfth graders that they're just not getting the quality physical education that they need,"
"We filed a complaint with the State Education Department back in October of 2013 and this is the first time we are making tangible progress, so we are very excited," noted Bauer Walker.
The school board approved the hiring of the 30-new physical education teachers last week.
Initially the board approved 48-positions in the school budget and called on the Buffalo Teachers Federation to agree to an MOU to allow for a longer school day to add more phys ed classes, but BTF leader Phil Rumore refused. However, Board Member Carl Paladino noted receivership for struggling schools would change that.
"The receivership legislation we will be able to force an expansion of the school day down Phil Rumore's throat," stated Paladino during the board session.